Press wheel for planters



Aug. 31, 1954 w. P. OEHLER ETAL PRESS WHEEL FOR PLANTERS Fild April 5, 1951 INVENTORS. WILLIAM P. OEHLER UR J. IMMESOETE TTORNEY Patented Aug. 31, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,687,682 PRESS WHEEL FOR PLANTERS William P.

Oehler and Arthur J. Immesoete,

Moline, 111., assignors to Deere & Company,

111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 5, 1951, Serial No. 219,486

6 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to agricultural between the flexible tread of the wheel and any adjacent supporting members. Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a planter press wheel construction, in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary v1ew illustrating the The press indicated for rotation on suitcarried between the rear end portions of a pair of frame bars adapted to operate.

The press wheel [0 comprises a wheel hub I! having an abutment portion I 8 against which wheel 'hub. The disk I 9 is generally circular and has a diameter only slightly eter of the wheel itself.

The ground-engaging portion of the press the plane that passes inner face of the associated ring 30. The inner end of each of the lugs 33 is formed as an apertured straight portion 34. The peripheral portions of the wheel webl9 are apertured, as at 36, so as to receive clamping bolts 3? that are passed through the holes in the lug ends as for the purpose of holding the wheel parts together. At one or both sides of the wheel web l9, one or more washers are disposed over the associated bolts 3'? and between the lug ends 9553- so as to hold the wheel rings 2% at the required axial spacing soas to give or impart the required tension, in an axial direction, to the resilient tread section E l. As will be seen from Figure 2, the lugs 33 are so shaped that there is ample clearance between them and the resilient tread section 24 when the latter is bowed upwardly when it passes over the seed row, wardly bowing or flexing of the rubber tread section 24, lndlcated at 39 in Figure 2, serving to form the desired compressed ridge of soil over the seed furrow. At the same time, the flexing of the tread section 24 as the same passes into and out of the zone of contact with the ground effectively sheds any adhering soil from the rim section, whereby the need for scrapers and the like is entirely eliminated.

The press wheel as described above may readily be assembled. R ferring first to Figure 3, one of the separable rim sections 3i may first be placed inside the tread section 23 by slightly ovalizing the latter and then forcing the ring 38 into the interior between the flanges 25, the posi tion of the left-hand rim section 3i just after insertion into the tread section 23 being indicated in full lines in Figure 3. The aforesaid rim section 3| may then be straightened relative to the tread section 23 and brought into the position shown in Figure 2. Next, the other or right-hand rim section 36 may be inserted into the tread section 23 from the other side in substantially the same way, by first disposing the two rim sections 3| at this time so that the lugs 33 do not register but are displaced one relative to the other, as shown in Figure 3, and then ovalizing that side of the tread section 23 and forcing the ring 30, together with the lugs 33 secured thereto, into substantially the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, after which the second rim section 3| may then be straightened and the ring 38 brought into the associated socket S. Next, one rim section 3! is rotated relative to the other so as to bring the respective lugs 33, particularly the apertures in the ends 34 thereof, into aligned or registered relation. Intermediate the openings 35, the wheel disk 19 has a plurality of notches Ml, so that by flrst turning the disk In to bring the notches so into a position to clear the near lug ends 3 5 the wheel disk l9 may be brought into between the cooperating lug ends 34. Then by turning the disk Iii, the openings 35 may be brought into alignment with the openings in the lug ends 3d. By next inserting the bolts 3i, together with the number of washers 38 necessary to impart the desired tension to the centra1 portions of the tread section, and then tightening the bolts Bl, the wheel parts may be locked in their proper assembled position.

Since the flanges 25 snugly engage the rings 28 in the sockets S, and particularly since the rings 29 are square in cross section, providing fairly sharp corners, considerable tension may be imparted to the tread member 23 by the proper number of washers 38 so that the desired degree the upward or radially in or compaction of the soil may the wheel passes along the seed any tendency for the tension in the tread section 23 to pull the flanges 25 around and on the rings 29 The substantially inextensible elements 26 prevent any stretching of the flanges 25.

While we have shown and described above the preferred structure in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the exact details, shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice or" the broader aspects of our invention.

What we claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A press wheel structure comprising a pair of separable rim sections, an annular tread member having marginal sections recessed to engage over the peripheral portions of said rim sections and a tread section of substantially uniform thickness extending between said recessed marginal sections, and means acting of compression be secured when row, yet without between said sections for holding the latter in spaced apart relation and thereby place the portions of uniform thickness of said tread member under axially directed tension.

2. A press wheel structure comprising a pair of separable rim sections, each including a ring member and a plurality of generally axially and inwardly extending peripherally spaced lugs, an annular tread member having marginal sections recessed to engage over the ring members of said sections, a hub carrying a wheel web section to which the inner ends of said lugs are adapted to be fixed, and means for fixing the inner ends of said lugs to said wheel web section and including means acting between said web section and at least certain of said lugs for imparting axially directed tension to said ring member.

3. A press wheel structure comprising a wheel having an open rim construction formed by a pair of axiallyspaced apart rings with an open space therebetween, and a resilient annular tread section comprising a substantially flat endless band having'at each edge an inturned radially inwardly disposed flange, said flanges forming annular pockets for receiving, respectively, said rings.

4. A press wheel structure comprising a pair of spaced apart relatively movable rim sections, one being movable generally axially relative to the other, a resilient tread member adapted to encircle said rim sections, means for holding the edge portions of said tread member to said rim sections, respectively, the portions of said tread member between said rim sections being under axially directed tension, and means for holding said rim sections in axially spaced apart relation so as to retain said axially directed tension in said resilient tread member.

5. A press wheel structure comprising a pair of spaced apart, relatively movable rim sections, one being movable generally axially relative to the other, a resilient tread member adapted to encircle said rim sections, means for holding the edge portions of said tread member to said rim sections, respectively, whereby, when said rim sections are separated axially, generally axially directed tension is imparted to said resilient tread member, and means for holding said rim sections in axially spaced apart relation so as to retain said axially directed tension in said resilient tread member, said last mentioned holding means including lug means on said rim sections, inwardly from said sections, and a wheel web and spacers cooperating with said lug means and section fixed between the lug means on one rim disposed therebetween. section and the lug means on the other rim sec- 6. A press wheel structure comprising a pair tion.

one being movable generally axially relative to References Cited in the file of this patent the other, a resilient tread member adapted to UNITED TATES PATENTS encircle said rim sections, means for holding the t edge portions of said tread member to said rim i g g sections, respectively, whereby, When said Tim 10 gg ggi y Agar. 13 19% sections are separated axially, enerally axially 638 twarz V-"" :i 1941 directed tension is imparted to said re il 2331819 O 3 19 3 tread member, means for holding said rim Sec- Wes C 4 tions in axially spaced apart relation so at t i g: Rletz Egg retain said axially directed tension in said resil- 15 g Tanke 1952 ient tread member, lug means on said rim sec- 0 6 Klemm tions extending generally radially and axially 

